#traditional chinese furniture

[changan-moon]

 by artist 黄跟宝huang genbao

[alvallah]

Imagine being rich and paying for bland minimalist textiles and cold sterilized homes when you could be paying folk artists handsomely for handcrafted beauty and color —helping preserve honestly quite priceless artistic traditions and supporting the people who keep these legacies alive— instead.

[avant-greendecor]

Mystic Noir: A Journey Through Oriental Luxe

Visit my website for more inspiration 🌿

Be captivated by the enchantment of this room, where inky walls set the stage for an exquisite ebony-carved credenza, flourishing Chinese fan palm greenery, and an traditional-style portrait of a captivating Asian beauty.

[moononmyfloor]

Hi Producer (正好遇见你) Posters (Ep 22-30)

(Ep 1-21)

Ep 22-23: Clocks, Ep 24-25: Lacquerware

Ep 26-27: Stage Costumes and Props, Ep 28-29: Bronzeware

Ep 30-31: Ancient Makeup, Ep 32-33: Ming-style Landscaping and Carpentry

Ep 34-35: New Year Customs

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More Hi Producer posts

[becausegoodheroesdeservekidneys]

Eisteddfod Chairs: Pick Your Winner!

It's almost June! Nearly time to reveal the 2023 Chair! So come, gather round Tumblrs, let me tell you of the furniture-based customs of my people

So Wales has been celebrating Eisteddfodau (festivals of poetry, music, and disco dancing), in some form or another, since at least the 1100s, when Lord Rhys of Dinefwr had one all formal-like and made it into a big fun party and that. The word basically means 'sitting place', and probably refers to the way people in summer would gather round the twmpath in the village to listen to bards that passed through and drink mead and shout 'hurrah!' a lot. Amazingly, this is not where the Chair Thing comes from.

Part of Welsh history is the Bardic Age, and it was custom for bards to travel the country and visit the courts of assorted gentry types (also normal people's houses and taverns and twmpaths but let's stay on topic) and play for them. If the lord paid well, great; if not, the bard would write a Super Mean Song about them and sing it everywhere, so they were pretty well treated.

But if they were particularly good, rather than making them play for the WHOLE meal, the lord would offer them a chair at the table to join in the feast as a guest, rather than a worker, and THAT is where the Chair Thing comes from.

Anyway that's preamble to say that every year in the biggest Eisteddfod of all - the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol - the highest honour awarded goes to the Prifardd - the bard who writes the winning cywydd (super complex Welsh poetry WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO EXPLAIN ALL OF THIS). And the prize for writing the winning cywydd is that you are awarded, you guessed it, the Chair.

Now these Chairs (capital C, please, we like a bit of Fantasy Novel Capitalisation and for this cultural reason I will never understand people who complain about it) are unique. They are thrones. They are carved each year by one chosen carpenter, who crafts a one-of-a-kind Chair with symbolism and that, never to be replicated. They usually have the year carved on, but otherwise, they vary wildly in aesthetic and symbolism. In a No Award year (because Eisteddfod judges don't subscribe to the Western idea that there HAS to be a first, second and third place; if no one is good enough there is no award, and I have seen choir competitions for seven year olds where there was no first or third place but there were two choirs in joint second), the Chair is sent back to the carpenter who carved it, and they get to keep it. In a year where the bard died before the ceremony, it is draped in black, and given to next of kin.

(That has only happened once. RIP Hedd Wyn, 1887-1917. Also the only reproduced Chair; the original, known as the Gadair Ddu (the Black Chair) is on display in his family home, but a 3D printed replica has been made for display by Amgueddfa Cymru)

BUT THEREFORE a big part of Eisteddfod fun is seeing what the Chair will look like this year. Traditional ones, see, we tend to think look like variants of this:

(Apologies for the substandard attempts at alt-text; I have no clue how to describe these properly)

This one is from 1896. The phrase "Y gwir yn erbyn y byd" means "The truth against the world", and was included in a lot of old ones. Modern ones tend to incorporate the druidic symbol for awen ("poetic inspriation") instead. Some of these incidentally turn up in lil' chapels and that about the country.

But actually even the old ones were mad different, look; clockwise from top left, these are y Gadair Ddu (1917), 1876, 1926 (when the carpenter was Chinese and enjoyed the cultural fusion), and 1908.

Still the same theme, though, but in the modern day the carpenters are all off the shits! They're all over the place! Fuck the rules! And I have Opinions.

Category: I See What You Did There

SYMBOLISM!!! 2011 is a pit wheel from Wrexham's mining past! 2013 is the head of a harp, from Denbighshire's cultural harp-making past! 2017 is fish, from Anglesey's maritime present! Fantastic. Love it.

Best in category: 2017. Why does Anglesey's have so many eyes on the fish? We don't know. Wylfa B protestors reportedly furious.

Category: The Modern Throne

TALL!!! That silhouette! That height!! They have the range, darling! Christ knows 2016 doesn't have anything else going for it! Shout out to the Conwy river on 2019, the different woods from the forests of Maldwyn for 2015, and the red kite symbolism for Ceredigion in 2022 (the spiritual home of the bird, where the species was first saved).

Best in category: 2019, Conwy. I like the bridge and the river lines and the water effect on the front of the seat it's just so pretty.

Category: That's Just A Chair

(I am actually friends with the Prifardd who won 2018 at the bottom there :D )

WHAT ARE RULES WE JUST WANT FUNCTIONAL CHAIRS. Man even so 2014 was fucking ugly. You could have 2018 in your house. Around your table, like. Even 2012 has a sort of IKEA vibe that's boring but palatable. 2014 is only coming in the house under sufferance.

Best in Category: 2018, easy, and not just because it's the one I'm most likely to get to sit in one day. It's pretty.

Category: NO GODS NO CHAIRS NO MASTERS

WHAT

WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED IN 2010

BRO I DO NOT THINK YOU TRIED

Best in Category: OBVIOUSLY 2021 I COULD PHYSICALLY MAKE 2010 MYSELF

[albontology]

it goes without explanation with zhou's new helmet is dope as hell. i will provide explanation anyways.

(above, zhou's helmet design as posted to the KV design twitter)

the central design on zhou's helmet is almost certainly inspired by the traditional craft of mother-of-pearl inlay in lacquerware, a practice which originated in China over 6 thousand years ago, and which has been developed and practiced in discrete forms historically in Korea and Japan alike. (continued under the cut!)

(on the left, a korean (goryeo dynasty) lacquerware stationery box; on the right, a chinese (song dynasty) lacquerware lidded bowl for cosmetics or incense. both photos via the met museum website)

traditionally, lacquerware is created through the refinement of a toxic plant sap into a naturally deep and glossy adhesive coat that is built up and polished often on top of wooden furniture and decorative items, such as chests and jewelry boxes. in the above examples, you can see two types of lacquerware practice.

on the left is mother-of-pearl inlay, which is created through the careful grinding down of tortoise or abalone shell into thin iridescent sheets which are then carefully cut into shape and imbedded into the coats of dark lacquer, being repeatedly covered and then polished down in the lacquer until the shiny shell surface is level with its surroundings. it's both visually stunning and incredibly labor-intensive: for a case like this, there would have been separate artisans making the wooden base box, making the metalware (hinges and clasps) for the box, applying the base layers of lacquer, and then completing the inlay itself.

on the right is (what i understand to be) a predominantly chinese lacquer practice, which is carving into the layers of lacquer to form images in relief. while this practice is not replicated on zhou's helmet, the image selected does display the pattern of the peony flower, which i believe to be the flower depicted in the inlay! the striations of the central petals seem to match zhou's. of course, this is speculative and only based off an amateur's eye, especially considering the motif of scrolling foliage is fairly ubiquitous and somewhat generic in east asian decorative art.

(on the left, zhou's 2024 helmet (detail). on the right, a detail image of a korean chest decorated with mother-of-pearl. zhou's helmet via twitter, right image via the met museum website)

the 'metallic' or 'holographic' effect a lot of people have recognized is a natural property of polished mother-of-pearl: look at the iridescence of the design! while it has been exaggerated to some extent on zhou's helmet (for good effect, i must say), you can clearly see the inspiration when compared side-by-side with a more predominantly mother-of-pearl composition: the variegation between blues, greens, and warmer peachy-reds is mesmerizing.

i really want to drive home how brilliant of a design this is and give the due appreciation to KV Design, who made this helmet for zhou. clearly a lot of thought and creativity went into it, and I can't wait to see it in action. >:D

[i-only-ever-asked-questions]

Map of Soho Good Omens Season 2 - Part 3 (the intersecting street)

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4 Update: Map and pictures further down now have Lucky Snake, and the description of both the Lucky Snake and The Chinese Buffet Restaurant have been updated too.

We don't know the name of the street that crosses Whickber Street. It starts between the market and the furniture store, and after a crooked crossing of Whickber St., it continues between the bookshop and the Dirty Donkey Pub until it ends on Wardour Street. On that upper block we have: -A. Z. Fell & Co. The bookshop has a backdoor that leads to this street. -Bilton Scaggs Hats and Caps This shop has been here for centuries. Originally Bilton and Scaggs was a publishing firm that printed among other things "The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, witch." Neil believes they went out of business in the late 19th century and the hat makers took over. Their shop was called Bilton and Scaggs Milliner & Haberdasher for a while and eventually they changed to Bilton Scaggs Hats and Caps. But honestly, only Aziraphale knows the whole story.

On the other side of the street we have: -The Dirty Donkey We don't know how long this pub has been in business, but we know that it was already there in the 40's when the zombies used it to hide and spy on the heroes. And then in 1967 Crowley used a private room to set up the caper to steal holy water from a church. The set was also used to set up two of the pubs where Gabriel and Beelzebub met. Both scenes were filmed on the same day! After the tour, the first episode of Season 2 was screened inside the pub for those lucky enough to win spots. The Dirty Donkey Pub has also appeared in Neil's "We Can Get Them for You Wholesale" and "Sandman: Overture." In the show, one of the elevators to Heaven and Hell opens inside the Dirty Donkey, maybe this supernatural ability allows it to show up in many different Neilverses ;) -"Model" This is Mrs. Sandwich mysterious establishment. Nobody really knows what happens there. We know the upper floor has lovely pink curtains, presumably for her girls who also love coffee. -Will Goldstone's Magic Shop Named after Will Goldston (not sure why an extra "e"), a stage magician who wrote many books on magic. The store existed in 1941 when it was run by Pat (who met a gruesome end at the hands of zombie nazis). Will Goldston himself died in 1948. So, was he the owner of the store and Pat just an employee? Did someone use his name? Or is that the reason behind the additional "e", to claim it wasn't him? We don't know. In current times it is operated by Mutt.

This street ends on Waldour Street and because we don't see much of it, I included those shops in this post: -Chinese Buffet Restaurant (updated) The English sign just says "Chinese Restaurant", Google translate gave me "Chinese Buffet Restaurant" for the sign on either side (if you look closely both sides say the same thing). There is no other writing that I could see so I would say that we don't know if it has another name or where is it written (inside maybe?). @embracing-the-ineffable raised the question of how do we know Mr. and Ms. Cheng own the restaurant. The truth is that we don't know for sure. We have assumed it probably because Aziraphale and Ms. Cheng are in front of the restaurant when he invites her to the meeting, but for all we know she was just walking on the street when they met. The Chengs could easily own the Herbal Pharmacy or the Grocery Store. We just don't know for sure -Lucky Snake (updated) To the right of the restaurant (our left) there is another store with yellow walls and red lanterns. It was brought to my attention (thank you!) that this is the infamous Lucky Snake we see in Aziraphale's typed list of shops. In Season 1 it was called "Oriental Delights" but this season it is a grocery store. -Herbal Medicine and Pharmacy - Traditional Chinese medicine appointments To the left of the restaurant (our right) we have the herbalist/pharmacy. This is written in English while "traditional medicine appointments" is written in Chinese. There is no other name outside either.

Turning around and looking towards Whickber Street, we can get a peek all the way to Great Windmill Street, between the news agency and the market. -Windmill Theatre Today it is called Windmill Soho but the name Windmill Theatre is equally recognizable. In 1941 it was owned by Mrs. Laura Henderson. The theatre was famous for 1)not closing at all, even during the heaviest of bombings and 2)its motionless nude girls (tableaux vivants) called the "Windmill Girls". Because of this, it used the motto "We Never Closed" (although people modified to "We Never Clothed"). In the set, the doors are not props, they are the real doors to the internal docks of the studio, which honestly it is very clever.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4

[yandere-writer-momo]

🌶️ Yandere Baki Shorts:

Haunted 🌶️

Yandere Poltergeist Retsu x Afab reader

Minors Do Not Interact

Will you please buy me coffee?

“Now you won’t find a house quite like this one again!” The realtor exclaimed as he guided a young woman through the antique house. It was so strange to find a traditional Chinese home in Japan of all places, especially for such a low price… she couldn’t beat it with the way the housing market was. “It’s completely furnished and it’s already quite advanced for its time.”

(Your name) nods along with the realtor. She ignored his ramblings of all the traditional decor. She just wanted to move in as soon as possible to get out of where she was currently. Any home was better than where she resided.

“Now before you buy this place, I am obligated to tell you that someone died here.” The realtor told (your name) with a grim expression. “But it happened many years ago when this house was first built.”

“Oh… that’s not a problem-“

“It was a murder.” The realtor interrupted her. “Something about the lover’s spat? I’m not entirely sure what the story is.”

“That’s perfectly alright. I’ll take it.” (Your name) smiled at the realtor. She couldn’t beat a bargain like this… it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Yes… once in a lifetime.

.

.

.

(Your name) unloaded the last box from her car and wiped the sweat off her brow. Her eyes glanced over at the small stack of boxes in the living room.

It was a blessing that the house was already furnished, it meant she didn’t have to spend a fortune on furniture now.

(Your name admired the oriental decorations around the home. It was an extremely traditional home but she found it to be relaxing… almost like she’s been here before…

There was a part of her that felt like this home was familiar. That this specific house was somewhere she has been before despite her never seeing it until now. She was feeling dèjá vu.

(Your name) carried a few of the boxes towards the master bedroom to begin to unpack. She folded and hung up a few clothes, her hands smoothed out the wrinkles.

A yawn escaped her lips, the woman frowned a bit. Maybe she should take a nap before she continued? It’s not like she had a lot to unpack still… it could wait.

(Your name) stretched a bit and made her way towards the large king sized bed with red silk sheets. It was strange that they were so clean but who was she to complain? The scent of amber and mint lulled her into a quick sleep.

A coldness filled the room, the clothes were picked up by a seemingly invisible force as they were neatly folded and put away.

A chill racked through (your name)’s body, a few strands of her hair stuck straight up in the air. A pair of cold lips affectionately pressed against the strands.

“My húdié… you’ve finally come home to me…”

(Your name) stirred a bit in her sleep but didn’t wake up from the coldness in the home. Instead, she nestled herself deeper into the blankets.

The apparition ran his fingers through her locks, his dark eyes refused to leave her face. His soulmate was finally home with him again… and this time, he’d never let her go…

.

.

.

(Your name) woke up a few hours later with a refreshed feeling. She hadn’t meant to nap for that long, but her body thanked her for the much needed rest. It’s been a while since she’s slept so nicely.

(Your name) slung herself over the bed, her eyes glanced at the boxes she had left to unpack… but they weren’t there.

(Your name) rose up from the sheets to check out her closet, only to see her clothes were out away exactly the way she puts them away. Huh… maybe she did finish unpacking before she took that nap…

(Your name) decided not to think about it too much since she was still in the process of being awake. Perhaps she should grab a bite to eat?

(Your name) entered the kitchen and opened the fridge, only to see there was a container in there with her name on it… that was strange.

She opened it to see a neatly made lunch box. It looked delicious…

“How thoughtful…” (your name) smiled as she began to eat the thoughtfully prepared me. It was… “delicious.”

(Your name) savored the meal, unaware of the figure that observed her from the corner. Her tastes were still the same… he was so happy that she hadn’t changed after all these years… it made everything so much easier.

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.

(Your name) noticed a strange presence in her home. She constantly felt eyes on her and sometimes she’d feel a cold draft whenever she was in bed or curled up on the couch. It was bizarre but it didn’t make her afraid… just uneasy.

(Your name) spent most of her time reading in the garden. The peonies and azaleas were in full bloom. The pink and white flowers gave the garden such a cozy, romantic feel to it. Someone must have loved whoever they built it for more than anything in the world…

(Your name) admired the koi fish in the pond that swam under the lily pads. The lotus flowers were fragrant warmed her heart.

“I love it here…” She couldn’t believe she had bought this house for such a steal. This place was a dream come true… she couldn’t believe people didn’t want to stay…

(Your name)’s fingers touched one of the lotus flowers with a smile. They were so beautiful… a shame she couldn’t pluck them.

(Your name) roses up and began to collect her things, unaware of a certain figure that sensed her dissatisfaction.

When she ducked back into the building, the ghostly figure plucked the lotus flower out of the pond.

“Anything to make my húdié happy…”

.

.

.

To say she was shocked would be an understatement at the sight before her… the lotus flower sat in a glass bowl on her counter.

“W-what?” She made he was over to the counter to check it out in confusion. Who could have plucked it for her?

(Your name) felt a chill go down her spin when something cold touched the back of her neck. She whipped her head around to see what touched her, but there wasn’t anything there…

“H-hello?” (Your name) asked softly. But there was no response… this was so strange…

And the haunting began…

.

.

.

(Your name) would wake up to the scent of breakfast being made every morning but there was never a single dirty dish. Only a plate sitting on the counter for her to eat and a freshly brewed cup of tea.

It’s been like this for the last few months… almost like she was getting breakfast made for her by her spouse…

Did she have a stalker? Who would go so far out of their way to take care of her?

She’d swear she’d hear someone humming next to her while she slept but there wouldn’t be anyone there… she was starting to become afraid…

Could it be a relative of the person who died in this house that didn’t want this house to be owned by anyone other than family?

(Your name) messaged her realtor about who the person was that died in this house. She wanted answers… there wasn’t a single logical explanation for the bizarre happenings in this house.

She was just grateful that this person, if she could even say that, only held utmost admiration for her.

A ghastly figure frowned at her dissatisfaction. She didn’t want to leave did she? No… he wouldn’t let (your name) leave him again… she was going to stay this time.

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.

.

A call in the middle of the night woke her up from her deep sleep. The young woman groaned in annoyance but answered the phone.

“Hello?”

“Hey, it’s the realtor… and I found something super spooky about that house.” (Your name) sat up, she was no wide awake at his words. Spooky? What did he mean by spooky?

“And what did you find?”

“Well, there was a couple that lived in that house almost a hundred years ago. Their names were Kaioh Retsu and… (your full name).” (Your name) froze in pure shock. The person who lived in this house was her? What?

“Please tell me you’re joking-“

“No. I wish I was… this Kaioh Retsu was an esteemed Kenpo master and he built the house for his wife, (your name).” The realtor began to ramble. “It seems he was really obsessed with his wife. He did everything for her so it was crazy when she killed him.”

(Your name) felt her blood run cold. Killed him… his wife murdered him? Why? Why would she kill her doting husband?

“I did some digging and it seemed he killed all of her friends and family since they didn’t approve of her being with a foreigner. They say she died shortly after murdering her husband.” The realtor sucked in a breath. “The picture of the wife in this photo looks exactly like you… I’ll send it to you.”

(Your name) began to shake like a leaf at the photo. She looked eerily similar to the wife but the man… the man was far more handsome than she expected. He had a muscular physique and long black hair that was in a braid. Retsu didn’t look like the type who would murder his wife’s family and friends…

“Pretty freaky right-“ Her phone suddenly shut off. The woman feeling a cold presence behind her and what felt like hands on her waist.

“Who are you talking to?” A deep voice whispered in her ear. And that’s when she saw him… the man from the photo. Kaioh Retsu.

(Your name)’s eyes were wide in shock and horror. Ghosts weren’t real… what?

Retsu wrapped his hands firmly around her wrists.

“(Your name)… don’t be scared.” Retsu’s hands cupped her cheeks. But rather than the warmth of flesh, all she felt was a cold draft touching her skin. “It’s me… it’s your husband, Retsu.”

(Your name) could only tremble as the apparition slowly became more visible as a man rather than a cloud of mist. Even in such a ghostly form, she could tell he was still handsome.

Retsu smiled at her. He was glad she found him physically attractive just like she used to. She didn’t have as many friends anymore nor did she have a family. It made it all the easier…

Retsu leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. His hands eagerly explored her soft flesh.

“My húdié… I’m so happy you’re here.” And with a light force, he pushed her back into the bed. His icy hands pushed her shirt up, the frigid touch made her shiver. “My beautiful wife…”

“W-wait! I’m not-“ His lips pressed against hers to silence her protests as his fingers harshly flicked her nipples. A soft whine escaped her lips at the motion.

“You’re still sensitive here… where else are you still sensitive?” Retsu’s hand dipped down between her legs, his expertly fingers stroking her clothed cunt. “It’s been almost a century since I last touched you and you’re still so beautiful…”

(Your name) threw back her head when his fingers hooked around the edge of her panties and pushed them off to the side to dip his cold fingers inside. Her cavern tightening around the foreign intrusion in shock.

“You’re tighter than I remember… but maybe that’s because you don’t remember the shape of my cock?” Retsu chuckled at her glazed over expression. His fingers thrusting in and out of her warmth at a speed that wasn’t human. “You sound so beautiful, húdié and you’re so wet.”

She was lost in bliss, stars were practically seen from how his thumb grazed over her clit so deliciously. This ghostly man was better than any vibrator she’s ever had… she was close.

“Ah!” (Your name) threw back her head, her orgasm rocked through her body like an earthquake. Retsu smiled down at her satisfied expression. She’s never had such satisfaction before… not from anyone or anything…

“My wife looks so happy… here. Let me give you more.” Retsu gently began to discard her clothes off her limp body. The man sung her praises the whole time. “You’re so soft… so lovely.”

(Your name) didn’t have firm to bask in her bliss before she felt something cold and thick press against her entrance. Her body sitting up a bit to see that Retsu was now bare before her. His traditional clothing discarded to reveal himself to her.

And without a word, he pushed in. Her head thrown back as a strangled cry escaped her lips. Retsu simply smiling at her reactions.

“You’re being so good for me… you’re taking me so well.” Retsu shushed her whines, his fingers wiped away her tears. “We’re one again… I’m finally with my wife again.”

And Retsu began to slowly thrust himself in and out of her. The sound of skin slapping against skin filled the room. He was the perfect size and the right amount of thickness to make her feel so full… she felt so satisfied.

“Does it feel good, my húdié? I want to hear you…”

“Y-yes… I feel good.” (Your name) cried out when Retsu slowly started to get a little rougher. “P-please don’t stop!”

Retsu smirked, his hips postponed into hers at a pleasurable speed. His hands grasped her hips upward to hit her at her favorite angle. His perfect wife was still the same… and he was determined to keep her this time.

“I can make you feel like this all the time… won’t that be lovely?” Retsu chuckled when he noticed her tethering towards another orgasm. “I’ll give you endless love and pleasure forever… all you had to do is say it.”

“Retsu!” (Your name) cried out, her fingers digging into his arms to try to get a grasp on herself and the overwhelming pleasure she felt. This was entirely all too much for her to handle…

“Say you want forever with me!” Retsu grunted, his thrusts border lining brutal to try to get her to comply to what he wanted.

“I-I-“ (your name) could feel her orgasm right there. She was so close… so close… “I want to stay with you forever!”

And that’s when the biggest orgasm she’s ever had racked through her body. The sheets a mess as Retsu fucked her through it. Her eyes rolled back and her toes curled with pleasure.

Her body went slack but Retsu kept gently thrusting into her. The ghost pressed cold kisses all over her exposed skin. His teeth nipped at her nipples with a smile.

“Of course you can… you can stay…” (Your name) felt a wave of fatigue wash through her but Retsu kept moving. “You’ll be so happy when you wake up.”

.

.

.

(Your name) screamed I’m horror at the sight of her body in front of her. She was a ghost now… what happened?

“It’s okay, xiǎo bǎo bèi. It’s okay…” Retsu kissed her shoulders in reassurance. The man placing his hand over her eyes. “We can be together now… forever.”

(Your name) tried to flee but she found herself being bounced back by an invisible force when she reached the door.

“Xiǎo bǎo bèi… ghosts cannot leave the place where they died…”

“How did I die?” (Your name) sobbed, hee eyes stared into Retsu’s who’s held a sadness to them. “Did you-“

“Not purposely… I didn’t think I’d drain all your life force.” Retsu shook, the man rushed forward to pull her into his arms. “You weren’t supposed to die! I swear! I just made love to you…”

Retsu began to cry as he held her. “But hey… we can be together now. I promise you that we can enjoy our after life together. I’ll even help you bury your body, okay?”

(Your name) could only sob in his arms as he held her. This was never supposed to happen… she wasn’t supposed to end up being a part of this house with this obsessive man.

She would forever be haunted by him…

[skywarpie]

“Why is there a hole in your ceiling?” for your bois Copia x Aether 💛

Aether has been in Copia's room a hundred times. Each time he is ...well he's surprised by how the man lives. Mainly because it looks likes a teenage boy who's never known a mother's love. Though that part is mostly true. But for the life of him, Aether feels like he keeps finding more odd things about the room each time he's in there.

He's sitting on the bed that serves as Copia's couch and apparently every other type of furniture when he notices it. A huge fucking hole in the roof. "Uh, why is there a hole in your ceiling?" The question is out of his mouth before he even has the time to rethink it.

Copia comes bouncing into the room carrying left over Chinese take out that is who knows how many days old. He blinks. Looks up at the ceiling and then blinks again as he shrugs. "Dunno. Woke up one morning and it was just there." He motions with his free hand. "Well. Maybe more along the lines of was woken up that way heeh."

Aether's face must show his confusion. "The ceiling fell in on you?!" The way Copia acts like this is just an every day occurrence is definitely sending the ghoul into a panic.

"I mean to be fair this isn't the first time it's happened." He tries to hand the ghoul a plate but Aether ignores it.

"It's happened more than once!?"

"Eh." Copia waves a hand through the air. "More along the lines of a yearly thing. What's it called? eh." He mumbles to himself as he rubs his chin. Snapping his fingers when he gets the answer. "Tradition! That's the word." He nods, quite proud of himself. "It's how I know winter's here. One snow and -- " He makes a poof motion with his hands.

Aether looks at him with a horrified, mouth open expression. While Copia seems oblivious as he sits down beside him and begins to eat his take out.

"Don't worry." He pats Aether's arm. "It usually gets fixed within a few weeks."

"WEEKS?!"

[carsthatnevermadeitetc]

Ferrari Roma China, 2022. Ferrari is commemorating 30 years of selling cars in the People's Republic of China with a special one-off Roma made by the Tailor Made division in collaboration with the prominent Chinese designer Jiang Qiong’er. The new Roma draws inspiration from traditional Chinese aesthetics and craftsmanship and is finishing in contrasting Sanusilver Matte and Rosso Magma Glossy, the latter paying homage to the traditional Chinese carmine red. The stripes running along the body and through the interior are inspired by characteristic features from classical Ming Dynasty furniture. The first Ferrari order in China was placed in Beijing in 1992.

[samkat10423]

Sunset Valley - again

Like many of you, I've been following @greenplumbboblover's Sunset Valley Chronicles - or whatever she's named it. (Old-timers' disease!). Which made me nostalgic for SV - probably my favorite town to play. And while I've been playing, I've been re-doing the lots. Because I can!

I moved the family in that multi-colored, hot mess of a house into this one. This was a remake of theirs that was done a gazillion years ago by @lilymayrose. You can see the original over on her blog - which is still active. Or at least up. (Lily's Sim Antics (lilyssimantics.blogspot.com).

Anyway, I did make changes - mostly to the outdoor landscaping. The original had a swimming pool in the backyard and since I have 3 pools in this frammin town, unless you are super rich like the Landgraabs, Altos, or Goths, I expect my lazy sims to use the public facilities. But back to my changes. I resurfaced the driveway and added that spot where the trashcan and bicycles are. Then I resurfaced the sidewalks, moved flowerbeds, and gave them a hot tub. (I'm not entirely mean!)

I didn't do a whole lot to the inside - because I liked her version. Maybe switched out some rugs and got rid of all the toddler junk - because I aged the rugrat up.

Anyway, here's the family - the Single Moms. Fiona has finally come out-of-the-closet and is currently trying her darndest to convince Molly that they should be exclusive. (Their lifetime relationship is around 41 - even though they are supposedly "girlfriends.") I'm guessing, hating your beloved's cookie-cruncher is not the way to endear yourself to the object of one's affections. River - the teen - just wants the 2 of them to keep it in the bedroom. (Fiona is big on public displays of her amorous desires). While the youngest - I forget her name - is just happy to not be living in a shelter. BTW, in my town, she is the product of a drunken one-night-stand that Molly had with that Alvi sim. (The reason his wife bailed on him). Right now, she doesn't know who her dad is.

Then I hopped next door and did a tiny make-over of Jaime's house. I basically tried to keep it as horrible as EA had designed it. I did get rid of their carport and made a new one - sort of an arbor thingie. Then - because the description says this is an Asian-Tudor mix, I added that new siding on the gables after re-doing the roof a tad. I also got rid of that extra front door and replaced all the windows and doors using B5Studios' Grant Park set.

Inside, I left all the wall finishes the way they were. Except for the bathroom. That one I changed. Anyway, I made the kitchen a bit bigger since that front door was deleted, freeing up space. Then I added those Grant Park screens in the dining area. I basically reused her furniture, although here and there I made a few changes. I did get rid of that spare bedroom, making it into an office, since all the doctors I work with, always take their work home with them. I also put up those posters by @kimmiessimmies, because Jaime has a major crush on the lead singer. And she is absolutely sure that if he ever met her, he'd dump that Sadie sim for her - because she is just that BEAUTIFUL!!!! And don't you forget it! Well, you can't because she reminds everyone she meets that she's beautiful and smart! But apparently not smart enough, because she got demoted at work when she bragged about her latest conquest - Thornton Wolff. (Seems her boss, Geoffrey Landgraab - a good friend of Morgana's - was not pleased.)

And here the little tart is! Basically, all I did was change her skin and hair and toned down her make-up. I did give her some new clothes, but some I kept because I don't like having a whole neighborhood of models walking around. And this outfit wasn't that ghastly.

BTW, she's set her sights on a new gene therapist who was recently added to the hospital staff. His family lives in a new house next door to the Keatons. But since he comes from a traditional Chinese family, his parents are having none of it. Like Yumi Sekemoto, they are looking for a nice Asian girl to marry their son to. So, that lets out Ms. Jaime and her BF Pauline Wan. They're on the fence about Tori whatshername.

[ofsappho]

Another treehouse ask!

So, I've been re-reading my favorite parts while wait for the next chapter and the ones I keep coming back to are the snippets of his proposal where he's gifting her two of everything.

I was wondering if we could get a further detailed director's/writer's commentary about all of that because you have so much symbolism, thought, and meaning behind your writing so I was wondering what made you choose to focus and point out the offerings like the tea and the jewelry?

HI ANON

Oh I’ve been waiting for someone to ask me about the proposal!

Buckle up because this is gonna be a long post. It would literally be essay length if I wrote full sentences so I’m just gonna do a list of each symbol and what it means, but no guarantees this won’t be long as shit.

I’m Chinese (and Filipino), and instead of going with a conventional Western proposal, I thought there was something very ancient + modern + romantic + regal + beautiful about the 过大礼 (Guo Da Li), the traditional Chinese betrothal ceremony. Morpheus is old fashioned and a ruler in his own right, and his last marriage would’ve been done in the customs of Ancient Greece, so it made sense to me that he would pick something equally distinguished/with equal history.

I modified it for the story and focused on a few specific items in the basket that I thought would be best for the plot. This is heavily inspired and not meant to be a 100% accurate depiction of this practice.

(Link on Guo Da Li components here)

In Chinese culture, even numbers are viewed as more lucky/prosperous than odd numbers, particularly in the context of betrothal/marriage. A couple is 2 people, so the number 2 represents their unity (among other things). The groom gifts two of every item to the bride and her family as his proposal to invoke that, to show his own wealth and ability to care for her, and to compensate the family for the loss of their beloved child (and show that he recognizes how much she is worth to them).

Morpheus isn’t just interested in pretty words and declarations of love - he intends to marry Reader and give her all that goes along with essentially marrying a King. (Think Hurrem Sultan going from slave to wedded wife of Sultan Suleiman, ruler of the Ottoman Empire). He wants to show her that he can provide for her and their child, he wants to flex his own wealth and power, and (very critically) he sees how important Willow and Diana are to her, as her family, and chooses specifically to propose in this manner that has him giving gifts to them, aka symbolically obligating him to them as he will be taking their beloved family member. He is also *linking their families together* by giving Willow and Diana gifts.

He did personally craft/obtain all of these gifts and all of this symbolism is, in canon, chosen by and made by him.

Alright on to the actual gifts:

The specific basket that the betrothal gifts are meant to come in:

Black wrapping paper - these baskets come in either red or black traditionally

Dragons and phoenixes on the wrapping paper - these motifs pop up frequently in Chinese betrothal ceremonies - The Dragon and Phoenix pair historically, symbolises royalty and the perfect harmony and balance between yin (female) and yang (male) forces. It is said that this coupling complements each other in creating matrimonial bliss and perfection - befitting of their status of a symbol of everlasting and harmonious love. The Dragon and Phoenix - the epitome of the perfect pair, symbolises that the couple will stay together through thick and thin, and that their passion for their significant other will never die. The custom of weaving these motifs into weddings is a way of blessing the newlyweds with both patriarch and matriarch luck, prosperity and fortune in their union, and numerous filial descendants.” (Source)

Basket is made without any nails or adhesive - the art of Chinese wood joinery, or making furniture by carving the pieces of wood so that they hold together without anything else joining them, goes back thousands of years and is the hallmark of Chinese furniture

Lotuses - “The lotus is also known as 莲 lián in Chinese and homophones to lian give it symbolic meanings: 廉 lián ‘incorruptible, modest’; 连 lián ‘joint, continuous, successive’; 联 lián ‘unite, join’. Another name for the lotus hé brings other associations through the homophones 和 hé ‘harmony, union’ so two lotus flowers symbolize the wish for marital harmony.” (Source)

Lillies - “The species of lily most prized in China is the ‘day lily’ (Hemerocallis) whose blooms only last one day. The transitory nature of the flowers is said to help you forget your troubles. Its rapid sequence of flowers makes it a symbol for childbearing and is therefore a suitable gift for newly weds.” (Source)

Chrysanthemums - “The chrysanthemum is a much loved flower in China and is often portrayed in pictures. It is a symbol of joy and a wish for peaceful retirement. It sounds similar to 居 jū ‘to reside, to endure’ and久 jiǔ ‘long time’.” (Source)

Willows - “The widespread willow is a very useful tree. It provides material for all sorts of purposes including baskets, ropes and firewood. It is associated with Spring and therefore also with romance. (…) When people left home they were often given willow twigs as a parting gift as li sounds the same as 离 lí ‘to part’. Willow will sprout readily from cuttings and so a tree can be planted to give a continual reminder of home.” (Source)

Pine needles and cranes - “The pine tree is one of the three friends of winter - together with plums and bamboo because it is evergreen and does not drop its needles. It is a favorite subject in Chinese landscape paintings. It symbolizes longevity, solitude and steadfastness; as the needles grow in pairs it is also a symbol of married bliss. With a crane a pine tree gives the wish for a peaceful and long life.” (Source)

Plum blossoms and cranes - “The welcome blossom of plum trees in late winter has made the plum tree a popular plant. It is one of the three friends of winter with the bamboo and the pine tree. It is also widely known by the character 李 lǐ which is made up of two elements ‘wood’ and ‘child’ suggesting the prolific fruits produced by the tree. 桃李 Táo lǐ ‘peaches and plums’ is a phrase to refer to school children. The four plants plum, bamboo, orchid and chrysanthemum represent the four seasons of the year - winter through to autumn (the 四君子 sì jūn zǐ four gentlemen). Because the flowers emerge before the leaves and it takes a long time to come into flower it is associated with longevity. It is often shown with a crane, another symbol of longevity (…)” (Source)

The caskets holding the tea, one of the traditional Guo Da Li gifts:

Both the caskets and the basket are based off of real antiques that I found online but have now lost the links for rip

Pomegranates - “The pomegranate fruit is brim full of seeds, and as seed in Chinese 子 zǐ also means children, it chiefly symbolizes a wish for many children. This can be emphasized by portraying children with pomegranates in a picture. The pomegranate is sometimes known as the ‘Chinese apple’. The first trees were brought into China from Afghanistan during the Han dynasty. It is an appropriate as a marriage gift with the inscription 榴开百子 liú kāi bǎi zǐ ‘the pomegranate brings forth a hundred seeds/sons’.” (Source)

Roses - “The Chinese monthly rose (月季 yueji) is famous for the fact that it blooms almost every month of the year. For this reason, the Chinese rose is also known as ‘the eternal spring flower’ (長春花 changchunhua), and is thus a symbol of longevity.” (Source)

Ravens and stars - personally representative of Morpheus himself

The tea:

Da Hong Pao is the most expensive tea in the world. Literally. Specifically, when it comes from the original grove of trees that grow Da Hong Pao leaves. Morpheus is flexing his wealth and influence that he can give her not just one casket of this million dollar tea, but two.

8 oranges:

8 is the specific auspicious number for couples (4 is an unlucky number)

Symbolizes good luck (source)

2 bottles of expensive ass whiskey:

“Gift for father-in-law: 2 bottles of hard liquor or red/white wine Symbolises prosperity and a harmonious atmosphere in the family” (source)

Whiskey is Willow’s preferred alcohol

2 pairs of dragon-Phoenix candles:

See above reference in the dragon Phoenix motif

“Lighting fancy candles is an indispensable part of traditional Chinese wedding customs. Often used in weddings, such candles are mostly adorned with patterns of dragons and phoenixes and flowers to convey good wishes for prosperity and auspiciousness. Therefore candle often used in traditional Chinese wedding is also known as dragon and phoenix candle. According to historical records, there were wedding candles as early as the Six Dynasties. They were used at weddings in the Southern Liang Dynasty (502-557) and became a custom after the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Wedding candles had played a significant role in the marriage ceremonies in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties (1600-1644). Thus, dragon and phoenix candles had witnessed countless marriages in centuries.” (Source)

Gold jewelry (copied from AO3):

Gold jewelry for the bride is part of the traditional Guo Da Li gifts

Reader's crown/necklace/earrings/cuffs are intended to literally be the jewelry found at the archaeological site of Troy as part of "Priam's Hoard." This treasure trove of beautiful gold artifacts predates the Trojan War period by hundreds of years. Morpheus does not dabble in reproductions, especially not for the woman he intends to take to wife. Yes, he used magic/his powers/the Dreaming to secure the originals. https://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/treasures-priam-golden-riches-legendary-city-troy-003350

Dowry/bride price (copied from AO3):

“The tradition of Pin Jin stems from the Chinese belief that that when a daughter is married, she leaves the family while the in-laws receives her into theirs. Thus, Pin Jin symbolises the bride’s value to the groom’s family. It is also given to create goodwill between the in-laws.” (Source)

I deliberated for some time over how Morpheus would present her dowry. Gold bars are sort of ugly/modern/don't have that much pizazz. Instead, Dream reached through time and space and collected gold coins from throughout human history; Ancient Chinese coins, Ancient Greek (specifically Macedonian Greek) coins, proto-Indian (Kushan Empire, so 30-375 CE) coins. (There are other gold coins from other cultures, those are just the ones I point out specifically). Not only is Morpheus displaying his wealth, he's showing off his ability to acquire wealth that no mortal could. Every civilization that ever made gold coins is meant to be represented in her dowry, from every corner of the earth. Morpheus' powers are universal, not just restricted to Western Europe.

Reiterating that the point here isn’t that Morpheus is “buying” her. Her worth goes beyond words to him - he is willing to put his money where his mouth is (sprinkle sprinkle). He wants to show her and her family how much he values her in a real, tangible way.

[lalalanayo]

[LANA]Qinghua Set(livingroom PART)

This is a set of fresh and elegant new Chinese furniture, inspired by Chinese Blue and white porcelain（青花瓷） and traditional meticulous flower and bird paintings（工笔花鸟画）.

including 10 items(35.5MB)

basic information:shown in the second and third picture

game screenshot:shown in the last picture

game version:1.98

Patrons ONLY

dowload link:patreon

[jonnyparable]

Siheyuan 四合院

The sprawling traditional Chinese courtyard home, known as the Siheyuan features several buildings built around a series of courtyards.

The main door of the Siheyuan is usually located in the lower south corner of the house, and opens to a forecourt that leads to another centrally located doorway that leads to the house proper. This stops passersby from being able to look into the main spaces of the house.

This property, known as the Austere Official's Home, has been restored and given a modern facelift, while still in keeping to its classical roots. Much of the home's layout is based on ancient beliefs of how energy moves in a space, while the overall home itself represents the Chinese obsession with walled spaces, with a Siheyuan often consisting of walls within walls of walled yards, gardens and liminal spaces, connected by a covered walkway.

Contemporary Chinese interior design is a fascinating design niche, that can draw on design principles and material use anywhere from the Qing to the Han Dynasty, and Chinese aesthetics can be anywhere from ostentatious and overwhelming to refined and restrained.

Many associate Chinese interior aesthetics with red lacquer, silk furnishings, whimsical carpentry and gilded surfaces in excess but more often than not, classical Chinese interiors are more likely to feature more sedate tones of dark grey, black and deep brown, with hardwood furnishings in clear lacquer, with grey brick walls. or white plaster walls, as well as stone floors and granite paved exterior spaces.

The Austere Official's Home's makeover is based on a popular movement in Chinese interior design that draws on more consistent and refined use of materials and colours, with a recognisably Chinese aesthetic, while incorporating more contemporary ideas on the usage of space. A style popular with hotels in particular, being fairly accessible to international palettes while still being "Chinese" in feel.

Many Siheyuans require a lot of retro fitting and renovation to match our modern use of interiors, however. For instance, classical Chinese homes did not have living rooms, or dining rooms, or in fact, rooms at all. Chinese architecture typically does not rely on load bearing walls to support the structure, and as such, do not have the division of space seen in Western builds. Chinese spaces are therefore riddled with supporting wooden columns, which are joined by dividing screens and folding doors that create the "rooms" of a building, with the whole carpentry being held down by a wonderfully heavy and graceful roof. This actually makes them fairly earthquake resistant structures.

Typically this means a building in the Siheyuan is all encompassing in its function. It features a bedchamber, a study and a reception hall. Things like dining and ablutions are restricted to furniture and wherever they are placed. How this translates into a modern restored interior is interesting. For this build, much like a shell challenge I kept the structural pillars intact, while moving around the divider walls to reconfigure the space, while buildings can now be repurposed to house the rooms modern inhabitants would need.

Thank you for reading! 谢谢

[parkersbliss]

Domestic life headcannons with five and Wanda!reader? Wandavision type beat 🤭

Biscuit and Lattes | F. Hargreeves

pairing: five hargreeves x wanda!reader

warnings: none

requests: CLOSED

—

you can never run out of things in this house

like between you and five

you guys can conjure or grab whatever you need in seconds

so expect A LOT of laziness

grocery runs?

more like grocery jumps

although once you did go actual grocery shopping with five as normal people

or normal people that look like kids

point is

five weirdly loved it

he kept grabbing stuff and putting them in the cart and you were like

“babe???”

“what? they looked good”

“they’re watermelon poptarts…”

“yes”

so he’s kind of a child like that

which is why you don’t take him on as many grocery trips

although it also turns out he’s kind of a good cook??

obviously, he’s good with the knives

chopping onions?

this man sheds NO tears

he makes a mean cherry pie

and he’ll take it out of the oven and poof it’s gone

and he finds you on the couch with it in your lap

curse your powers

don’t even get started on the decorating a house process

oh my gosh

furniture shopping was interesting to say the least

you were considering color, texture all that stuff and five’s asleep on all the beds

same goes for the couches

he’s such a grandpa

you give him a little scare with an energy blast to wake him up

“at your service darling”

at least your powers made it easy to move all the furniture tho

not to mention he spent $300 on a coffee maker

but you can’t complain bc he brings you a latte each morning with a kiss on the head

he’s always up before you

typical breakfast in bed with him

lots of late night cuddles too

you and five love finding a show and cozying up with chinese takeout

it’s a friday night tradition

you clap your hands and takeout appears and five never has to move a finger

you switch roles each night, one picks the movie and the other picks the takeout

chores are also easy around the house

mostly bc you’re in bed and then a voice in five’s head just goes

“empty the dishwasher please”

and ofc he does bc five would NEVER go against you

also the whole projection / clone thing from you is really helpful

there’s one (Y/N) vacuuming and another dusting

your house is literally spotless

I mean, c’mon you can fly to get the cobwebs in the corner too

which is why five offers to cook for you all the time

he’s a very good husband

never wants you to work over work yourself

eventually you convince him to get a pet

your very devious plan was to walk past the pet store each time and see all the puppies and kittens

and then subtly drops hints around the house

or just project images of dogs and cats in his mind until he caves lmao

he agrees to a cat

you named him biscuit

he’s an orange tabby and makes your life very interesting

he’s a ball of energy that jumps, whines, runs, everything

and five struggles to keep up with him

but it’s all worth it when you guys to cuddle together on the couch

that is

until biscuit steals your food and both you and five are teleporting around the house to catch him

which normally ends with you and five bumping into each other

and he just kisses you and forgets all about the stolen food

— END —

🏷 five taglist: @clearbasementvoid @halfumbrella @esmedith @navs-bhat @alexxavicry @thelaststraw3 @rainbows-r-nice05 @gcldtom @bokuakadaily @3ternalreal1ty @umbrellatte @hahaspoilerhaha @mi1kobitch @analuizafernandescavalcante @icarus-star @yuki1s--note @m4nd0l0r @ells-graveyard @eichenhouseproperty @iaevs @oneirataxia-girl @ay4kshalatus @mysterygirl-14 @speaker15 @ch0c0-cake @sacrificialstars @lilsubbysblog @unhealthyob @chariotte @666abby6666 @pinkspider-s @bubsonnobx @dontknownameauthor @instabull @xuenihao @R4iner @ben-er-ino @yuuki4646 @klawsblr @kaitieskidmore1 @qevon @winchestertitties

[you-have-made-a-fatal-error]

Nancy's room mhm art post (companion to Abby's room art post)

the tapestry is a version of the same design as one found in TRT, though with a slightly different border. it's an 18th century design by Jean Pillement, originally produced by the Gobelins Manufactory in Paris. this particular design combines two trapestry trends: verdure ('greenery'; tapestries that emphasized plants and the natural world) and chinoiserie (french term for art or furniture of western manufacture inspired by Chinese or other Asian art/style/patterns).

the prints on either side of the tapestry are from the Activities of the Twelve Lunar Months series, painted by anonymous court artists during the Quing dynasty, probably completed in the 18th c. the ones on either side of the tapestry are the 7th month and the 9th month, and the 12th month can be found hanging above the fireplace

.

now, the bird-and-flower paintings. while i was able to track down the images, I couldn't find much legitimate info or sources, boo hiss etc. I was able to find a copy of the picture on the left in a National Palace Museum article on museum labelling practices of all things! if your chinese is better than mine (mine is nonexistent) you might be able to make something of it.

the tapestry next to the bed is an example of a more traditional 'verdure' design: lotta emphasis on the natural world, lotta different tree/plant species, very very green. and... I couldn't find the original image. however since I've spent approximately a thousand hours looking tapestries I feel comfortable enough wagering a guess. based on the composition, stylization and border design it seems like it's most likely a 17th c. flemish design - for comparison see the three examples of flemish verdures from that period below.